Ryan Nicol
The South Florida Council of Fire Fighters (SFCFF) will support Republican candidate Ana Maria Rodriguez in the race for Senate District 39.
The SFCFF represents about 3,500 firefighters and their family members. The organization has endorsed members of both parties this cycle.
“I am proud to have the support of the South Florida Council of Fire Fighters,” Rodriguez said in a statement Thursday.
“While I was serving in the Florida House, I voted for historic legislation to provide coverage to firefighters who have cancer. These brave men and women risk their lives to protect our communities, and I am grateful for their service and dedication to the people of South Florida. I am proud to have their support, and I will continue to fight tirelessly for them in the Florida Senate.”
Rodriguez is referring to a bill approved during the 2019 Legislative Session requiring out-of-pocket expenses such as co-pays and deductibles to be covered by a firefighter’s employer. Miami Republican Anitere Flores sponsored the legislation, which the Governor signed, while Rep. Matt Willhite sponsored the House version.
Flores currently represents SD 39 but can’t run for reelection due to term limits. The district covers all of Monroe County and part of southern Miami-Dade County.
Rodriguez is the sole Republican competing in the SD 39 race. Rep. Javier Fernández and Daniel Horton-Diaz, a former District Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, are competing for the Democratic nomination. Non-party affiliated candidate Celso Alfonso has also qualified.
Earlier this week, Rodriguez secured support from Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay and the LIBRE Initiative Action, a pro-Hispanic interest group backed by Americans for Prosperity Action, part of the Koch network.
Rodriguez is pursuing the seat after just one term in the House. She currently represents House District 105.
The Republican has been the top fundraiser in the contest, though Fernández has worked to close the money gap in the last few months.
